The
stories have been previously published in magazines, ezines,
anthologies and collections. Some are also included in the Six Scary
Tales books.

The words, spellings, grammar and punctuation are British English."

Review: Overall, I enjoyed these stories. Some more than others but each one worth taking a look at. Each story is about 5-20 pages long so they are quick to read.

These stories vary from creepy ghost stories, vengeful people and more. My favorites included 'Take me to St Roch's,' and 'Druid Stones.' But there were many others I liked as well. Seagulls reminded me a bit of the old horror story, 'The Birds' by Daphne du Maurier.

One thing the author did that I found nice, was that at the beginning, she tells the reader how she got the idea for each story. While I found this interesting, especially the time and dedication she puts into each one (and it shows in the stories), I wish she had kept it s bit shorter. A paragraph or so for each story would have been plenty but we get a bit more than that.

As I said, the author put in good time to understand the setting for each story, and it shows. The description makes you feel as if you can be there yourself. How she spend time in a cemetary at night to get that feeling is nicely portrayed.

To me, a misleading fact is the title. While the author does state that these are more creepy and not gore-fill (very true), I would not claim them as horror either. Some are slightly unsettling and others have a creepy atmosphere but I don't like the use of the word horror to describe them.

These stories can be read by any ages Middle school-adult and enjoyed by all. You can read the whole book in one sitting or even just a story a day.

So, I have a poll over to the right (under GFC followers) about Giveaways. I want to know what you, my readers, would like to see me offer. Please select any/all that apply.

Also, feel free to leave a comment on this post. Please let me know. I have a stack of Arcs that I do not know what do do with when I finish them, I have a box of books to post on bookmooch but was debating on offering the more popular ones as prizes (like posting a giveaway for winners choice of a book I have available). Or I can stick to gift cards or other goodies. What sounds good to you? I have never hosted a giveaway so feedback is highly valued.I would like to start hosting giveaways once I reach around 50-100 followers (need at least 100 followers for me to offer a gift card).

Summary: "It
is during a routine school project that Abby Silva--sixteen and nearly
friendless--makes a startling discovery: She is descended from women who
were accused of witchcraft back in 1600s Salem. And when Abby visits
nearby Salem, strange, inexplicable events start to unfold. Objects move
when she wills them to. Candles burst into sudden flame. And an ancient
spellbook somehow winds up in her possession.

Trying to harness
her newfound power, Abby concocts a love potion to win over her longtime
crush--and exact revenge upon his cruel, bullying girlfriend. But old
magic is not to be trifled with. Soon, Abby is thrust headlong into a
world of hexes, secrets, and danger. And then there's Rem Anders, the
beautiful, mysterious Salem boy who seems to know more about Abby than
he first lets on.

A reckoning is coming, and Abby will have to make sense of her history--and her heart--before she can face the powerful truth."

Review:The book is written in first person perspective of a teenage girl named
Abby. She is just your average high school student for the most part,
except lacking in friends. She only has one at a time, which I found
kind of odd since she wasn't the some major introvert either.
Naturally, like so many stories before this one, she likes the most
popular guy in school. Likewise, his girlfriend is the nastiest piece
of work in the school.

A school assignment sends her to Salem
to learn of her family tree. She learns she is related to one of the
'witches' that was hung. While there she meets a guy named Rem whom she
finds herself drawn toward, gets a job at a New Age shop and finds
herself back home with a potion/spellbook. The whole trip was uncanny,
right down to her moving a cone using...magic!?

So...surprise,
surprise she finds some love and attraction spells and uses them on the
popular boy, Travis. Soon he is trailing her like a puppy. Very
cliche. Yet off to the side is the mysterious Rem who seems to breath
hot and cold with her. This leaves us with a very standard love
triangle.

As Abby delves deeper into magic, she begins to learn
she is an elemental witch and that there are other witches is Salem as
well.

Enough of the plot though. That is more than enough to
get you started. Overall, the book was a fun read. Yet very
predictable. I finished the book with a "Been there, Done that"
feeling.

The pace was nicely done but I would have preferred
the story to slow just a tad so I could get more into the characters.
One thing I was curious on is that her employer tells her that Travis
likes her yet even after the spell, I was wondering if that was true and
maybe she should have asserted herself naturally first. But she didn't
even try. I would have like to know more about the real witches in
Salem but we don't get too much besides her and Rem. There was one part
of the book I thought she was going to have a 'Carrie' moment (from the
Stephen King book). Alas, I was denied that.

So while it was
enjoyable to read, it brought nothing new to me as an older reader.
This books may be perfect for someone reading their first teen witch
book, however. It is appropriate enough for younger teens to read. No
foul language which was nice, and while there was romance it was more
chick-lit in style. Only 2 kisses in the whole book! So parents can
rest assured of a good, clean book. For more experienced readers this
can still be a fun read on a day off but don't expect many surprises or
unique twists.

Note about the cover: for some reason, when read the book, that is not how I envisioned Abby's hair. She keeps describing it as 'wild.' I don'e see it as wild. Of course, since its currently being blown around but 'wind-swept' or 'lightly waved' might have been better for a visual idea.

Thank you to the publishers at Scholastic for giving me the opportunity to read and review this novel.

So this is a new weekly post I will be sharing
every Weekend. This is to share with you my new books from the past
week. These are books I acquired from various sources They can be
from bookstores (new/used), trades/swaps, gifts, Arcs, from NetGalley, Amazon,
Smashwords or anywhere else. Physical books and ebooks both are welcome. If it
is something being sent to me by mail, I will not mention it until I actually
receive it. The only thing I will not list are books I am borrowing
(whether from a friend or library) as the list would quickly become too
long.

Click on the picture to link you to Goodreads so you can view the summary
and other information.

**Some of these I actually received last Fri/Sat and just did not get the chance to add them to last weeks post. So this week has a lot :)

Friday, April 26, 2013

Welcome ! This is a
weekly blog post that will share 3 books I have on my to-read list. These are books I have gotten my hands on and have pulled aside and are therefore my top reading choices of the moment.

My goal is to read, or at least start,
one or more of them between today and the following Friday.Books may be fiction, non-fiction, graphic
novels or anything else that might by fun or interesting to read.

So, some things came up with me this past week so I didn't get as much reading as I was hoping to. Only read 1 1/2 books this week, and 2 graphic novels. Sad week. However I am lucky now as I have the weekend off and to myself for some good reading. :)

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Summary:"There's more than one way to be powerful . . .

It
is during a routine school project that Abby Silva--sixteen and nearly
friendless--makes a startling discovery: She is descended from women who
were accused of witchcraft back in 1600s Salem. And when Abby visits
nearby Salem, strange, inexplicable events start to unfold. Objects move
when she wills them to. Candles burst into sudden flame. And an ancient
spellbook somehow winds up in her possession.

Trying to harness
her newfound power, Abby concocts a love potion to win over her longtime
crush--and exact revenge upon his cruel, bullying girlfriend. But old
magic is not to be trifled with. Soon, Abby is thrust headlong into a
world of hexes, secrets, and danger. And then there's Rem Anders, the
beautiful, mysterious Salem boy who seems to know more about Abby than
he first lets on.

A reckoning is coming, and Abby will have to make sense of her history--and her heart--before she can face the powerful truth."

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Summary: Mattie was never
truly mine. That knowledge must have filled me as quickly and surely as
the milk from her breasts. Although my family ‘owned’ her, although she
occupied the center of my universe, her deepest affections lay
elsewhere. So along with the comfort of her came the fear that I would
lose her some day. This is our story...

So begins Lisbeth
Wainwright’s compelling tale of coming-of-age in antebellum Virginia.
Born to white plantation owners but raised by her enslaved black wet
nurse, Mattie, Lisbeth’s childhood unfolds on the line between two very
different worlds.

Growing up under the tender care of Mattie,
Lisbeth adopts her surrogate mother’s deep-seated faith in God, her love
of music and black-eyed peas, and the tradition of hunting for yellow
crocuses in the early days of spring. In time, Lisbeth realizes she has
freedoms and opportunities that Mattie does not have, though she’s
confined by the societal expectations placed on women born to privilege.
As Lisbeth grows up, she struggles to reconcile her love for her
caregiver with her parents’ expectations, a task made all the more
difficult as she becomes increasingly aware of the ugly realities of the
American slavery system. When Lisbeth bears witness to a shockingly
brutal act, the final vestiges of her naiveté crumble around her.
Lisbeth realizes she must make a choice, one that will require every
ounce of the courage she learned from her beloved Mattie.

This
compelling historical novel is a richly evocative tale of love, loss,
and redemption set during one of the most sinister chapters of American
history."

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Summary: "This is an epic fantasy adventure book with lots of action, intrigue, creaturas and dragons, for young adult to adult.

Bronwyn
and Blayke are two strangers being drawn into the same war. Their world
is facing invasion from the Third Realm. While they move unknowingly
toward each other, they are watched, hunted, and sabotaged. When the
Dragon God interferes, it seems their world, Talia, will succumb to the
threat. Can they learn enough of the tricks of the Realms before it’s
too late, or will everything they love be destroyed?

The young
Realmists’ journey pushes them away from all they’ve known, to walk in
the shadows toward Vellonia, city of the dragons, where an even darker
shadow awaits."

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

"Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?

In
the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of
Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The
Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing
them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and
eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death
on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone
with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when
she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss
has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature.
Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender.

If she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love."

Review:

Well this book lived up to a lot of the hype that surrounds it. While
the name and cover still do not grab my attention the story, once
started, did.

This book is written in first perspective, from the
heroine's aspect. Her name is Katniss Everdeen. She starts off in her
home, a simple, poor area of the land. She is the provider for her
mother and sister with her hunting skills. To protect her younger
sister, she is sent to the capitol, along with local boy Peeta, to
'participate' in the annual Hunger Games.

These 'games' are
fights to the death, aired and shown to the capitol and all 12 districts
under its control, in a survival arena of sorts. The book shows,
throughout the story, a somewhat futuristic dystopia society. The
tributes (Katniss, Peeta and others in the game) are given basic weapons
(bows, spears, clubs) and the district where Katniss is from uses herbs
and eats basic foods (squirrel, wild turkey, etc) but the capitol has
voice command room service, automatic hair dryers, and a camera/screen
set that tracks and shows the tributes (no matter where they go) to the
viewers. It is an interesting combination.

There is a 'romantic'
setting as well. Katniss and Peeta are to appear as a united team to
the people. Peeta even admits to liking her during his interview. So a
setting for 'star-crossed lovers' is created. However, Katniss has
various feelings toward Peeta throughout the book and its very realistic
and understandable, especially when there is possibly another guy back
home.

Yet while there are time I can relate to her, at the same
time several of her thoughts want to make my roll my eyes or drop my
head onto a desk. While she is survival smart, she is not people smart.
She can't socialize and cannot read people worth a darn. While it is
annoying at times, it is also endearing and has created a unique
character.

Overall, very good book. It is of constant
pace of survival and action, with just the right touch of romantic
possibilities.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

"The secret of having an
adventure is getting lost. Who ever visited an enchanted kingdom or
fell into a fairy tale without wandering into the woods first?

Well,
Mary is lost. Mary is lost in the story of Little Red Riding Hood, and
that is a cruel and murderous story. She's put on the red hood and met
the Wolf. When she gives in to her Wolf's temptations, she will die.
That's how the story goes, after all.

Unfortunately for the story
and unfortunately for the Wolf, this Little Red Riding Hood is Mary
Stuart, and she is the most stubborn and contrary twelve year old the
world has ever known.Forget the Wolf's temptations, forget the
advice of the talking rat trying to save her - she will kick her way
through every myth and fairy tale ever told until she finds a way to get
out of this alive. Her own way, and no one else's"

Review:

This book has left me with very different opinions on various parts and
aspects. One thing I will say up front. THIS IS NOT A KIDS BOOK. Older
teen-adult is appropriate.

First off, The combination of the name Mary, alon with the title brought an amused smirk to
my lips. She goes off to a party and tries to spite the host by going
into the tunneled crawl space of the spooky mansion it is hosted at.
She finds herself locked in ans so she ventures around, making various
turns through the tunnels. She comes across a talking rat
(Rat-In-Boots) who helps her begin her journey. When she puts on
the white and red outfit, her fate is sealed to the story of Red Riding
Hood. She journey's through various fairy-tales and lands of legends.

One thing that really bothered me in this story is that she
never questions why. Why her, How did the rat get her, etc. She just
accepts everything. While her character gained depth throughout the
book (she started of bratty, then we learn she has a chip on her
shoulder to learning she actually cares for others), I never once felt
she was 12. More like 16-19. And the language, sexual references, etc
(going to a brothel, virginity references etc) did not seem right. Yet,
to contrast her character I liked Rat-in-boots, even though he doesn't
have his boots. The perfect little hero. Cunning, swift, caring and
stubborn. I also really liked some of the places we see. One of them
is the Viking Lands and the Norse. She meets a boy named Eric who is
the son of Thor. This amused me because in the 'Thor' and
'Thunderstrike' comic books, Eric is the name of the man who becomes the
New Thor.

Another place I enjoyed reading was purgatory, which
was set up as a huge ship (and I mean HUGE) that can take years to
escape (if you can at all). This part reminded me of the Goonies a bit
(children working together, following a code) and Silent Hill with the
creatures in the dark and the way things lock and checking various rooms
for items.

Through all these stories and more, the Wolf is
after her. Apparently Red Riding Hood is the strongest story ever.
Rat-in-Boots tells her that no one knows of a world outside their story
yet everyone knows hers and keeps telling her to take off the hood. The
only way to escape the Wolf is to go home. Which is the one place she
doesn't want to be.So while there were enjoyable parts, I just
could not get into the book itself. Too much unanswered. And her
characters personality did not fit any middle schooler I have ever met.
Also the ending was a let down. The last 50 pages were rushed, worlds
not explained, etc. And the last chapter was a recap of the book.
Pfft. Not needed. So while it was kind of interesting to read and
started out with some creative thought, it didn't hold the same appeal
that I had before I started.

I would like to thank the Publishers at Curiosity Quills Press for giving me the chance to read and review this adventure